The Willow Maid
by SplatterCracker
Summary: After being sent into the forest to see if the unusual heat was the work of fae, Adrien learns that he could not take from the forest what was never meant to leave. (AU)
1. Chapter 1

**Based off of "The Willow Maid" by Erutan Music. I would not recommend listening to the music or watching the music video until the end. Unless you'd like to spoil this story for yourself.**

* * *

The young man wiped the sweat off of his brow as he traipsed through the forest. The overhead trees filtered out most of the noon sun but it did little to fight off the summer heat and humid hung thickly in the air.

He grimaced. It was unusual for the weather to be as hot as it was, even during the summer. He was sure that if he had dressed in his usual thicker clothing, he would have collapsed already. Taking a swing from the leather water pouch that hung at his side, he wiped his mouth and continued on.

It was his father's idea to send him out into the forest to find the source of the heat. Like most of the town, the man had believed the unusual heat to be the work mischievous fairies as revenge for cutting down a small portion of the forest without leaving an offering in return. As the son of one of the more well-known families, he was expected to ease the troubles of the town. On top of that, other men had refused to come along and used the excuse that unlike him, they relied on working daily to make a living and couldn't spare a day to go on a fairy chase. He knew, however, that it was merely a cover up for their fear. No one in their right mind would go chasing after fairies. Who knows what they'd do to any poor human who came their way?

Adrien, which was the young man's name, grimaced and swatted some bugs from his face. Truth be told, he hadn't wanted to go either. He would have been far happier staying inside the family estate to wait out the heat but his father had been very insistent and the town mayor's daughter, Chloe, had been pushy, declaring that the problem would be quickly solved if Adrien was the one who went.

Which is how he was chosen to investigate. He wasn't expecting to actually find anything; fairies and the like were notoriously hard to find if they wished to stay hidden. Only the most unfortunate travelers ran into fairies and only a fool went looking for them.

He gripped his hunting bow tightly in one hand. His quiver of arrows was slung comfortably across his shoulders. He had figured that if he was to be forced out into the forest, he might as well make the time useful by hunting small game. Not that he needed any, of course. His family was richer than most and it was more of a sport than a way of living for him.

Hearing a slight shuffling off to one side, Adrien froze. Careful to not make a sound, he slowly turned his head towards the source of the noise.

At first glance, he was unable to locate the noise. After a few seconds, however, he noticed a tiny movement, partially hidden by the springy ferns of the forest floor. A small brown rabbit was digging away at the forest undergrowth, its furry tail turned towards him.

Slowly and silently, Adrien pulled out a wooden arrow from his quiver. As he turned his body to fully face the animal, his finger tested the point of the arrow. He'd hardened the arrow in fire and sharpened it himself a few days earlier. Satisfied with the point, he nocked it to bowstring and drew back.

The rabbit never saw it coming.

Adrien smiled at the kill before walking over and retrieving his arrow from the body. It was a one-shot kill. He picked up his kill and shoved it inside his small game sack which he then returned to his waist.

He was about to begin walking once again when a particular sound caught his attention. Frowning, the young man straightened up and looked around.

A very faint, but audible nonetheless, voice carried over the forest sounds. The words were unclear and it was difficult to tell which direction the voice came from but he could tell that it was a young woman singing.

Curious, he cast away the years of warnings of fairies that his father had drilled into him and began walking further into the forest. He wasn't sure if he was walking towards the right direction but logically, it would he from deeper into the forest if it truly came from a fairy. He had no fear of getting lost. Part of his upbringing included training in this very forest and not once had he seen any evidence of fairies or the like, which was probably the reason why he could tread so fearlessly.

His guess was correct. Within ten meters or so, he was confident he was walking towards the right direction. The voice was slightly louder now, the sweet song blending in and out of the forest sounds. It sounded as if it were one with the forest itself; the words of the song unintelligible to him yet sounded completely natural at the same time. He picked up his pace now, eager to find the source.

He knew that he was playing a dangerous game; it was well known that the call of the supernatural was made to be tempting to humans and, more often than not, fatal. But even if the warnings were given to him at that moment they would have fallen upon deaf ears.

He moved swiftly. He was still within the area that he was familiar with and knew that if he continued the path he took, he would soon cross paths with a small pond surrounded by willow trees.

The song was clear now. A beautiful melody, quick at times but gentle. The soft voice which sung it seemed to be accompanied by the breeze itself, luring him closer and closer. Underneath his feet, the vegetation changed from springy plants to a dull green grass with areas of brown where soil could be seen. Sturdier plants replaced bushes and he brushed them aside as he sprinted towards the song. Willow trees gradually surrounded him and he nearly ran into a couple as he the ground began to incline downwards and his footing became unsteady upon the slope.

He slowed to a jog, then a walk. And finally, a stop. He could see the pond now, but that wasn't the reason for his stop. A ring of red toadstools, a little less than a dozen meters across, surrounded a single willow tree. A fairy ring.

It was then that he finally hesitated. If there was any uncertainty about whether or not he was following a fairy song or not, it was now dispelled. There was nothing that was a clearer giveaway of fairy activity than a fairy ring which he now stood in front of. Tales of men stepping into one and being trapped by the fairy within often came up during long winter nights and very few of such tales ended well for the human. There was no mistake; the voice was coming from within the ring of mushrooms.

Adrien took a deep breath. Even he wasn't impulsive enough to simply stroll into the ring. And yet...the voice continued to tempt him.

And like most young people, Adrien was never one to resist temptation.

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 **Author's Note:**

 **Wow. I should really finish my other stories first.**

 **In my defense, I tried working on** _ **A Minute Until Midnight**_ **but YouTube autoplay introduced me to this song and I couldn't focus without writing this first.**

 **I'm not sure if I'll continue this since I've never written an AU before and I don't know how most people feel about them…**

 **BUT until/unless I say that I will not continue this story for sure, I would not recommend looking up the song this is based on just yet since I'm planning on trying to follow the song as much as I can.**

 **Reviews make me smile :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Characters are kinda OOC in order to follow the song this is based on. Also, Marinette's appearance will be explained later on in the story; it was changed in order to fit the song better.**

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It was like the world itself shifted in light.

Everything was the same as it was yet...different. Nothing changed or moved from where it had been before he'd stepped into the fairy ring. The willow branched continued to sway, the pond continued to ripple with subtle life and the nearby bird calls of rang out as before. But the feeling, the very _life_ of the forest seemed to pulse around him in new found harmony. Or, perhaps it was always there and he had simply failed to take notice. It was like his eyes were opened to a world new side of the forest, one that he knew that very few humans have every had the privilege to be a part of.

That wasn't all, however. It was with surprise that the young man realized that he could now understand the very song that that first lured him deeper into the forest in the first place. It was a song of the change of seasons, of the flow of life. The voice sang of the animals, the insects, the pond, and of the air itself connecting into one, twisting and turning through time. When asked later of the specific words of the song, Adrien found himself unable to recall them for fairy songs were never meant for human ears. But it was at that moment that he was finally able to see the source of the melody.

A young woman, no younger than him by a year, laid cradled high among the branches of the willow tree in front of him. Her face was partially turned away from him and her eyes were half closed in serene peace, her flowing knee-length red hair hanging down from the branches. She wore a simple short brown dress that matched the bark of the tree and he could just barely make out the tips of her pointed elven ears sticking out through her hair. Even from a side profile, he could see that she was a beauty among beauties. Her hands which looked softer than any he'd ever seen before idly stroked her hair as she sang. He was so captivated by the young maiden that he stood in silent awe until he was kicked from his gawking silence.

Literally.

Adrien let out an involuntary small yelp of surprise as his small game sack suddenly sprung with life, the content delivering jerky kicks at his hip. In a panic, he hastily undid the fastening and threw the sack to the ground and the small brown rabbit from earlier quickly dashed out of the opening in the bag.

At the sound, the singing abruptly stopped and the maiden quickly turned. At the sight of him, her eyes widened and her body tensed. The two stared at each other for a few seconds in silence. It was Adrien who finally decided to speak first.

"Who are you?"

* * *

She turned at the sound, ready to fade back into her tree at a moment's notice. It was a shame, she'd only just come out for the first time in years but she was simply not meant to fight.

A young man, clad in light green clothing, stood not a half a dozen meters away. His blond hair swayed in the wind, his emerald eyes wide with both shock and caution. She hadn't seen a human since, well, _never_ but she had heard stories from others. Humans were known to bring destruction wherever they went and she'd been warned to be wary of the creatures since she was a young sapling.

This human, however, even she could admit that he was attractive. More attractive than some of the other inhabitants of the forest at least. The young man held some kind of smooth branch, bent by what looked like a string pulled tautly. Across his shoulders, he wore some kind of container where tips of many smaller branches stuck out, feathers attached to each of them. A dropped bag laid at his feet.

Instead of answering, she echoed his question back at him. "Who are _you_?"

He swallowed dryly before answering. "My name is Adrien. I mean no harm, I was simply following your song."

The maiden looked at him quizzically. Despite herself, she began to relax. "And how were you able to hear my singing? You're a human, aren't you?"

"Well...I just heard it I suppose. What does me being human have to do with my hearing ability?"

"Humans were never meant to hear the songs of the forest," she replied with a frown. Even with a frown her face was beautiful and his heart jumped at the sight.

"Well, I suppose I'm just special," he said with a grin. "Now that you've learned my name, may I ask what's yours?"

She eyed him warily. "Why do you need to know?"

Adrien shrugged. "Common courtesy?"

"Human common courtesy," she corrected. "You seem to forget that I am not human."

"Well, don't fairies have similar courtesies?"

She sniffed at this, her head turned upright in slight annoyance. "I am not a fairy."

"Um... You're not?" Adrien cocked his head in confusion. "But you're inside a fairy circle."

"I am a nature spirit. A nymph to be precise. Fairies are not the only ones who use these circles," she quipped.

"Well, forgive me. I was not aware that there is a difference." Then, seeing her brows draw together in further annoyance, he quickly added, "I'm only an ignorant human, after all. So please don't turn me into a frog."

At this, she laughed. "A frog? Where did you get that idea from?"

"Well...stories, I suppose."

"Stories?" She shook her head. "And I suppose you don't have evidence of these stories being true? Or even about nymphs in the first place?"

"No, but—"

"But?" she prompted.

Suddenly feeling foolish, Adrien continued anyways. "I thought that every magic creature is capable of such things."

"Then tell me, does every human possess the same skills? The same knowledge?"

"Well, no," Adrien admitted.

"Then why would we all be the same?"

"I suppose you all wouldn't be the same," Adrien relented. "But enough of that, are you going to tell me your name?"

"No."

"No?" Adrien echoed in surprise. "Why not?"

"Humans may very well give away names without a care. But to us fae, names carry power and humans are notoriously famous for abusing such power."

"Aren't you the one who just said that not everyone is the same?" Adrien challenged. "Why would you assume that I'm the same as other humans? Because of stories you've heard of us? That's unfair, isn't it?"

The maiden frowned. "Well, you don't see us destroying nature as we please or wage war on each other over power."

"But I haven't done any of that!"

"Oh really?" The maiden raised an eyebrow. "And I suppose you're not from that nearby town that just cut down dozens of trees?"

"I was not the one who felled them, nor was I the one who ordered them to be cut," Adrien protested. "Can't you give me an alias to call you by at least?"

She regarded him curiously. Only full names gave power so she supposed it wouldn't hurt. "Mari."

"Mari," Adrien repeated. He grinned. "That's a pretty name."

"Is it?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "It's beautiful. Like you."

Mari smiled at the compliment. "Aren't you a flirt. That's almost cute."

"Almost? Surely I'm much cuter than that."

"Flirting doesn't move me. I get enough of that from satyrs on a daily basis," she replied.

"Then what does move you?"

"What...moves me?" She frowned thoughtfully at the question. In all her years, she'd never been asked that. She was used to being thrown compliments and sometimes gifts for hopeful woodland creatures but not once had they asked her what she liked. "Kindness, I suppose. Intellect is also important."

Adrien's face lit up. As the sole heir of one of the richer families in town, intellect was something he had.

"Would a poem appeal to you then?"

"A...poem?" Mari asked, confused. "What is a 'poem'?"

"Uh...words with rhythm, I suppose. They're similar to songs but instead of singing, it's recitation."

Mari shrugged. She didn't see the appeal in such a thing. What was a song without singing? "I suppose you can give it a try."

Adrien hesitated. Then he launched into the one poem he had memorized.

"Come live with me and be my love,

And we will all the pleasures prove,

That Valleys, groves, hills, and fields,

Woods, or steepy mountain yields.

And we will sit upon the Rocks,

Seeing the Shepherds feed their flocks,

By shallow Rivers to whose falls

Melodious birds sing Madrigals.

And I will make thee beds of Roses

And a thousand fragrant posies,

A cap of flowers, and a kirtle

Embroidered all with leaves of Myrtle;

A gown made of the finest wool

Which from our pretty Lambs we pull;

Fair lined slippers for the cold,

With buckles of the purest gold;

A belt of straw and Ivy buds,

With Coral clasps and Amber studs:

And if these pleasures may thee move,

Come live with me, and be my love." *

When he finished, he was surprised to see Mari looking at him thoughtfully. For a second, he felt hope soar in his chest that he had indeed won the maiden over when she replied, "That's a bit easy to do, isn't it?"

Feeling his hopes dashed, Adrien pouted. "Easy? I'll have you know that words are a way of art for some humans. Why don't you try then?"

Mari laughed. "Words may be art to humans but they're a way of life for some of us. Many spells rely on incantation and sometimes we need to think of one on the spot."

"Really? I bet you can't make one up right now."

"Is that a challenge?" Mari asked, a smirk on her face. Adrien grinned. He liked this girl; she was different from the others in the village who threw themselves at his feet.

"Maybe it is. Do you accept?"

Without bothering to give a reply, Mari began reciting her own poem.

"If all the world and love were young,

And truth in every Shepherd's tongue,

These pretty pleasures might me move,

To live with thee, and be thy love.

Time drives the flocks from field to fold,

When Rivers rage and Rocks grow cold,

And _Philomel_ becometh dumb,

The rest complains of cares to come.

The flowers do fade, and wanton fields,

To wayward winter reckoning yields,

A honey tongue, a heart of gall,

Is fancy's spring, but sorrow's fall.

Thy gowns, thy shoes, thy beds of Roses,

Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies

Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten:

In folly ripe, in reason rotten.

Thy belt of straw and Ivy buds,

The Coral clasps and amber studs,

All these in me no means can move

To come to thee and be thy love." **

As her poem came to an end, she was pleased to see a look of disbelief on the young man's face. Then, it changed to a wide grin.

"That's amazing! How did you do that?"

Mari shrugged, a pleased smile on her face. It had taken so little to impress. She wondered if all humans were like this, so impressionable upon. "Like I said, this is our way of life. Beauty is art and words are, without a doubt, a form of art."

He shook his head. "Do all fae wrap themselves in beauty?"

"We prefer to see the beauty in everything, even in a stinky human like you."

"Stinky?" Adrien asked, confused. He sniffed himself, unsure of what she was referring to. "I don't stink."

Mari shook her head. "The smell is faint but it wasn't here before you arrived. Therefore, it must have come here with you."

"I—oh!" Realization suddenly dawned on Adrien's face. "You must be talking about the cheese!"

"The...cheese?"

Adrien nodded. "My father keeps lots of camembert cheese in the house. I'm not sure why though but because of that, I leave the house smelling like cheese sometimes."

"What is this cheese?" Mari asked curiously.

"It's made from milk," Adrien explained. "There are many kinds but my father prefers to keep camembert in the house. I don't know why we have it; he doesn't eat it himself as far as I know but _someone_ keeps eating it."

"Milk…?"

"From cows," Adrien patiently explained. "Cow milk."

Mari looked at him in both concern and disapproval. "Surely you don't hurt the poor creatures?"

Adrien quickly shook his head. "It doesn't hurt them; I would never hurt any animals!" he lied.

Mari looked at him skeptically. "Humans are infamous for hurting their own kind and animals are no exception."

Adrien held up his hands in defense. "I'm not like that, I swear!"

He knew that he was lying but the guilt that he felt was instantly pushed aside at the smile Mari gave him at the news.

"That's wonderful. You must be very kind." She smiled tenderly at him.

Adrien, despite himself, blushed at the praise. "Haha, yes. Kind indeed. Well, since you said that you see beauty in everything, including stinky humans, why don't I show you just how beautiful we can be?"

Mari cocked her head to one side. "What do you mean?"

Adrien partly turned and gestured to outside the circle. "Back to the town I came from. I can teach you so much about humans, don't you want to learn more?"

Mari was already shaking her head before he finished speaking. "Don't you know it's rude to simply ask a nymph to leave her tree like so?" she teased.

Adrien rolled his eyes but gave a playful bow and extended his hand to her. "Come with me my maiden. Come from thy willow bed."

She looked at him serenely and only shook her head. "I cannot leave this place."

His heart fell at her words. "Why?"

Mari placed her hand upon the bark of the willow of the branches on which she rested upon and looked at the tree with a smile. "I belong to the tree and what isn't meant to leave can never leave without consequences."

"But—"

"You're a kind person, Adrien. Surely you can understand," she said gently. She was looking at him again, the same serene smile on her face. His will crumbled.

"If that is what you wish," he said dejectedly.

Mari laughed. "Don't look so down. At least now you know where to find me. You'll always have a friend in the forest."

At her words, he looked at her in surprise. "A friend?"

She nodded. "You're different from the stories of humans that I've been told. Those horrible stories of humans needlessly killing helpless animals for sport."

Adrien felt a small worm of guilt. "Is that so."

"Yes. I do hope you visit again; there aren't too many humans who come here. But now I need to tend to my duties."

"You have duties?" He couldn't help but feel disappointed at the implication that he should leave soon.

Mari nodded.

"Oh, I see...Will I see you again soon?"

Mari shrugged. "Depends on when you come. I can't leave the forest so our next meeting is entirely up to you."

Adrien grinned. "So tomorrow?"

"Are you that eager to see me again?" Mari teased. To her surprise, Adrien nodded firmly.

"Very."

"How forward of you." Mari raised an eyebrow. "Well, until tomorrow then."

"Until tomorrow."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 *** Christopher Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love"**

 **** Sir Walter Ralegh's "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd"**

 **A few lines were taken directly from the song "The Willow Maid" by Erutan from which this story is based on,** _ **do not**_ **watch/listen to it unless you wish for spoilers.**

 **Reviews make me smile :)**


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